Festivals you may not know
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14-09-2023 4:12pm#1
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End of the Road
Capacity: 15,000
Getting there: Flew to Southampton, 130 return. We got a taxi to the site because we were in a mad rush to catch Wilco, 85 Sterling but a quick train journey from the airport gets you to Salisbury, shuttle bus to the site from there.
Camping: We were in a pre pitched tent in Tangerine fields, 6 man 400quid between 4 of us for the 4 nights. Boutique lovely, clean, good showers, cafe etc. Very quiet at night. General camping had plenty of room, looked very civilised. They have a 'quiet camping' section in general also.
Music: Amazeballs. I have desperately missed the slew of acts EP used to have on their poster that I didn't know, had to research and turned out to be deadly, imaginative, innovative performers. I got that in spades here. Geese, Personal Trainer, Divorce, MF Tomlinson, Sam Burton, The Courettes, Be Your Own Pet, H.Hawkline, Moin, Crack Cloud, Gretyl Hänlyn....the list goes on and on. Every act had something about them. Just a fantastically thoughtful lineup.
Loos: Compostable. Beautiful experience day one, not so much day 4.
Site: Majestic site. Lovely main arena. Woods stage is their main stage, trees behind, gently sloping up away from stage so great view from wherever, beautifully lit at night, amazing sound, as have all the stages.
Also in main arena are the Big Top, lovely tent but enclosed with tunnel entrances, pitch black and absolutely sweltering in the sun. Made for sweaty, intense belters from Moin, Geese, Murlocs and Murder Capital.
Also in the Arena, you have the Folly, nice tent with a smaller capacity.
4 bars in main arena plus the food vendors. Also book shop selling big range of music related literature, great selection. Plus 2 record shops, vintage clothes shops and a deadly poster shop, lovely band art. The book shop and record shops (Rough Trade and Third man) did signings throughout the weekend, lots of big names signing and chatting.
Into the woods with you for the good stuff. The Garden stage is the most beautiful setting for music I've ever seen. Totally enclosed by trees, garlanded, amazing lighting, pristine lawn, follys, peacocks.....
Just a gorgeous spot. Arooj Aftab at night, Angel Olsen, Crack Cloud...loads of highlights there.
Literally 30 seconds away is the Talking Heads stage, a rival for most beautiful musical setting in the world. Crafted wooden stage, backed by woods and cows and similar pastoral delights, steeply banked benches and hay bail seating. Interviews in the morning, a bit of comedy, then gorgeous small, quiet gigs for the rest of the day.
The other stage is called the Boat, out in the woods, small, cool set up, touch of the Salty Dog about it.
Also the piano stage, tiny stage that hosts unscheduled pop up sets from all sorts, Angel this year among others, the likes of Jeff Tweedy in the past.
Arty stuff: the woods full of brilliant bits and pieces, all the old Body and Soul at EP type installations, lights etc.
Food: brilliant options, had some delicious gear over the 4 days. Shout out to Thyme and Tide, amazing fish stuff.
Drink: loads of options. Bristol Beer and Lost and Found in charge, standard craft IPA and Lager options at all bars but a couple of the bars had a big selection from various different independent breweries. Separate craft bar with changing taps and a big selection of cans. Free flow in operation.
Gin bar, couple of cocktail bars, cider bus also in operation.
Never queued for the bar, bar staff sound to a man/woman.
Crowd: absolutely dead on. Everyone there for the music, loved chatting about it, nobody off their faces, just a sound, friendly vibe all weekend. Never seen such an array of music tshirts. Always a good sign. Loads of the bands there for the weekend, attending gigs, chatting to people, loved that. Says something about the festival.
Commercial ****: zero, nada, nothing.
Negatives: I mean none, really. If you want to go mental, it's not for you. It's a pretty middle class crowd, no doubt. Missing an edge? Maybe. But nothing stuck up or pretentious about anyone I came across. It's pricey, 6.50 a pint, 7 without your reusable cup, tenner a gin, 13 quid for some main courses but standard enough I suppose for a festival.
Also, we had the faffing about with cash free payments. Signal is brutal down there and bars were down for a bit one of the days.
Nonetheless, I'm giving it a 10/10. I'll defo be back.
Post edited by Stillill42 on9 -
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Forwards Festival in Bristol was the same weekend as Electric Picnic:
-Flights €90 return and bus return to the city €17.
-Single entry was €70 but another €35 and I could have gone both days.
-30,000 attendance each night and two main stages.
-City festival so no camping. I paid about €140 for two nights in a hotel which was fine.
-People absolutely sound and a good age mix. Went alone but anyone I was chatting with was bang on. Those who asked and found out I was from Ireland well I couldn't get them to stop talking to me. Crowd booed when the Queen flashed up during an AFX montage, booed a lot more when Prince Charles appeared and then cheered Rick Steins image.
-Walking distance from the city if you don't mind it like me. Otherwise there were free shuttle buses to the city and coaches from the surrounding areas.
-Food prices, I have no idea but drinks were London gig expensive. Thatchers and IPA's at least not Heineken and Orchards teeth removal.
-No queues for anything.
-Lineup was stellar although Viagra Boys played EP the Friday night and had visa issues getting in to play the UK for the Saturday. They put a local techno metal band on instead who were decent.
West Stage
Amyl faster than the last time I saw them.
Primal Scream were okay.
Legged before they finished to Leftfield. They were great.
And then back to AFX who was just incredible.
That was only it's second installment and everyone seemed to have a great time. Was well organised and they can get good names in. I'm sure it will be on again next year.
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I know of Manchester only because Chewie play it, no idea what it's like (Manchester only a short flight from Dublin which is handy)
Greenfield festival https://www.greenfieldfestival.ch/en in Switzerland this year had one mostly punk line up for the first day, and metal-ish the other days (I'm crap at genres in music). Locals said line up particularly good this year, though going by all the people wearing tshirts from previous years the line ups are generally decent.
Brilliant organisation at the festival, didn't spend more than ten minutes queuing for beer, food or toilets on any of the three days. We stayed in an Airbnb in Interlaken, camping was sold out already by the time we decided to go - happy it worked out that way, too hot for sleeping in a tent! Expensive but worth it, crowd enthusiastic but they don't drink just to get drunk and they're full on in the mosh pit without being stupid.
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Camp Dalfest.
"N.Ireland's BIGGEST Family Festival of Music and Food held annually at Glenarm Castle in July."
Glenarm is a village in between Larne and Carnlough. The festival is held in the castle grounds in the middle of the village. You can attend either or both days as a visitor or camp over. Lots to do to keep the family occupied and an eclectic selection of acts appearing. Last year it was headlined by the Vamps and Sam Ryder and the bill also included the likes of Sophie Ellis Bextor, KT Tunstall, Blue and Scouting For Girls. The year before it was headlined by Amy MacDonald on the Sunday along with Scouting For Girls and the always brilliant Nik Kershaw. Previous years have seen a wide range of acts including Hothouse Flowers, Dea Matrona (who seem to be regular visitors), Pixie Lot, Ronan Keating, Tom Odelll and even the Bay City Rollers. The last couple
This year's first announcements should be made soon. The dates have been confirmed as 20th and 21st July.
Last year's full line-up:
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Hi guys,
Just a review coming up of Rock Werchter as asked for by @Stillill42 in the gigs 2024 thread.
We chose to go last year as there was about 10 headline worthy acts. Poster attached
Ticket price euro 292 (they don't offer installment plans but we picked ours up in April a few weeks before it officially sold out)
Logistics of getting there: very smooth
The festival takes place in the town of wercther just about half an hour outside of Brussels.We flew into Brussels on the Wednesday and spent a night there before heading to the festival thursday.
You get free train travel with your tickets and they send out an email to book your train using the code on your eticket at the bottom. About 25 mins from the city centre and once you arrive at station there is shuttle busses to bring you to camping site, once there it's a 4 min walk (10 to 15 lugging all your stuff)
There are 3 normal camping sites (45 euro each) or the HIVE which is next to the arena and a bit extra. I'd be happy with the general camping. There was a big marquee that sold food that in the early hours turned into a mini rave....brilliant craic. You get a festival wristband and a camping wristband
The general camping camping is about a 15 to 20 min walk from arena. All one straight road. Plenty of little beer kiosks to keep you hydrated. We had decent weather which was good but I believe it can be hit or miss.
Once at arena there is a heavy enough search. Metal detectors then pat down and sniffer dogs....although getting small cans in was easy enough for some reason.
Arena set up:
Once you walk in your at main stage. The arena isn't huge by any stretch of the imagination and you can be from one side of it to the other in 10 mins between all the stages. Beer reasonable enough....3.50 for a half pint so 7 a pint really, they only served small ones. And if you brought that emptys you got money put back on your wristband (all cashless) I'd say I spent 60 a day at most between food, cans brought and in and drinks bought including frees from returns.
One downside to be aware of.....the barn stage. This is the 2nd stage basically a pop up indoor arena that holds 20,000. We left Sam fender to see the end of charollete de wite and they were no letting people in.....even though it was meant to be an in and out system. Plenty of people were leaving and not letting people in. Health and safety I guess but a bit of a bummer. We went into two acts before fred again on the Saturday and got in no problem.....toilets and drink in there also...so I was sorted. We ended up seeing xavier rudd before fred again and he blew my mind....I'll attach the performance below. That was the only negative(pictures below)
Exit from festival as easy as getting in once it was done. Out of the festivals I've attended outside ireland I thought it was the smoothest in terms of how it was run
Overall would highly recommend. Would probably be there this year only we have a wedding clashing.....no doubt will be there again though.
Good review here for people who may not have heard of this channel...TPD tv ...Great reviews.
https://youtu.be/v8w2cihec3I?si=1IhreVvtrMIaFgjC
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A maybe for me at the moment. Personally would've liked some heavier bands. Have seen 12 of those acts before. Was certain they'd have JAMC at it as they're signed to Fuzz Club but alas it appears not to be. Hmmm...
Big on the all mouth and trousers scene
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